GRYPHON

GRYPHON
RED QUEEN TO GRYPHON THREE (1974)
320 KBPS

The definitive album from these lads, although I have a soft spot for their debut album. Start with this one (as there are no weak moments) and then proceed to later stuff if one is into Yes and the earlier stuff if one likes folk, pre-renaissance or medieval music. Some of the traditional/fundamentalist folkies must have really been disappointed with this one , but 25 years later , this seems like a logical successor to Midnight Mushrumps. Four tracks all around the 10 min area with diverse amount of rock instrument makes this almost a fusion album (not in jazz-rock terms , though) and greatly improved songwriting techniques are the main reasons for the vast improvement on their previous works.
Much recommended to anyone loving acoustic music , with a severely different feel than your average prog album.

1. Opening Move
2. Second Spasm
3. Lament
4. Checkmate

WHITESNAKE

WHITESNAKE
SAINTS & SINNERS (1982)
REMASTER
320 KBPS

What a difference a year makes. After releasing the thoroughly disappointing Come an' Get It, Whitesnake made up for it in spades with 1982's excellent Saints & Sinners, their best record yet. Perhaps it was the arrival of new guitarist Mel Galley (replacing founding member Bernie Marsden) that re-energized the band. The dull, midtempo numbers of recent years were largely gone, replaced by rowdy bursts of bluesy aggression like "Rough an' Ready," "Bloody Luxury," and the downright nasty "Young Blood." David Coverdale also reached new heights with the astounding heavy blues of "Crying in the Rain" (a lyrical relative to Elmore James' "The Sun Is Shining" if there ever was one) and the timeless power ballad "Here I Go Again." Most Americans only came to know these songs when they were butchered into ridiculous power metal five years later, but for true Whitesnake fans, these original versions make Saints & Sinners well worth seeking out.

1. Young Blood
2. Rough An' Ready
3. Bloody Luxury
4. Victim Of Love
5. Crying In The Rain
6. Here I Go Again
7. Love An' Affection
8. Rock An' Roll Angels
9. Dancing Girls
10. Saints An' Sinners
Bonus Tracks
11. Young Blood (monitor mix/early vocals)
12. Saints An' Sinners (monitor mix/early vocals)
13. Soul Survivor (unfinished, unreleased song)

CHEVAL DE FRISE

CHEVAL DE FRISE
CHEVAL DE FRISE (2000)
320 KBPS

What can you do with an electro-acoustic guitar and drums? Cheval De Frise can make a whole wonderful insane album.
Cheval De Frise's music is an avant/math/noise-rock which is at times reminiscing Upsilon Acrux, Ruins and Don Caballero and yet they definitely have a sound of their own, easily identifiable and original.
A lot as Cheval De Frise manage to do in their albums and in this one in particular. Brilliantly going from the acoustic fast paced parts to the more twisted electric sounding ones; they manage to convey in their music vitality and complexity intertwined. It is fast-going, intense and determined, going forward all the time, without looking back or to the sides. It is a fantastic harmonious monologue-a-deux of the two musicians on their drums and acoustic and the electric guitar. It is not as weird as it might sound; rather the intensity of it might deter listeners and give a strong impression of hyper-complexity; this is indeed sophisticated and intricate but not as inaccessible as other avant-rock bands are. Rather it is quite accessible to my ears. They do show at times a hyper-fast typical math- rock characteristic a-la Don Caballero, but for the most part, the acoustic guitar is played ultra-fast which gives the chaotic impression a-la Ruins. I for one also feel that they have a good sense of melody, which may sound weird to people unfamiliar with this sort of style. However, this album would resemble even more other avant/math-rock bands if melody would not be part of it. The tunes here are as important as the complexity. This is not a stage to show only their skills as players, but also their talent as composers of a particular style that is more often than not, not associated with beauty. However, I find it is inherent to their sound. The electric guitar gives a good measure of variety to the intensity of the tracks; it also serves as good peaking point, a further climax in a multi-climatic track structure album. It also gives another dimension to the sound, keeping it from being too one dimensional. The album is made up of mostly short tracks, which goes well with this sort of style, and yet as I listen to it, there is a feel of continuity in a way that there is a sort of connecting thread linking the various tracks.
One thing that must be said: the musicianship is astonishing! The energy that the two musicians put into each track is amazing and probably equals that of entire albums of other bands. Both the guitar playing and the drumming are phenomenal; they are virtuosic, fast and accurate, passionate and jagged. This album is a delight to listen to not only for the music but also for this aspect, which is the brilliant playing.
This is a frantic ride, a fabulous avant-rock album that will please those looking for a rush and excellent fast and furious musicianship.

1. Connexion Monstrueuse Entre un Objet et Son Image
2. Noblesse De l'Echec (1)
3. Constructions d'Ecorces d'Arbres
4. Langue Hastee
5. Lundi Deux Mars
6. Un Pont et des Eaux Noires Limoneuses
7. Incline Et Chenu
8. Le Feu, Le Lin et la Bougie
9. Les Canaux Sont Ouverts, Les Moustiques Meurent, Le Monstre Disparait
10. Mille Courbettes Cheval De Frise
11. Douche Froide, Harmonium Cheval De Frise
12. Le Vestibule des Laches Cheval De Frise
13. Noblesse de l'Echec (2)

TRIOSK

TRIOSK
MOMENT RETURNS (2004)
256-320 KBPS

Having made their international debut fronting with Jan Jelinek for the superb "1+3+1" album on Scape, Australia's Triosk have emerged on the Leaf label with one of the most sumptuous and seductive albums of the year. Revolving around a classic Jazz piano trio formation, Triosk utilise a plethora of devices both traditional and modern in their search for the perfect jazz note, gliding from the condensed electronic minimalism of the opeing "The Streets are Empty" straight into the pregnant low-end sultriness of "Chronosynclastic Infandibula" - overflowing with piano cascades, sweeping whispered percussion and, of course, that unforgettable double-bassline. Despite being compared to everyone from the Necks to the Cinematic Orchestra and Thelonius Monk, Triosk's greatest triumph lies with their natural shape-shifting ability, morphing from one mode of operation to another with apparant ease, sometimes through delicate transitions as one hypnotic piece fizzes into another and sometimes within the confines of the same track. "Moment Returns" is a luscious album, one for late night smokey rooms and sun-drenched meadows, rich, vibrant and completely engaging from shimmering opening note to memorable close. Highly recommended.

1. The Streets Are Empty
2. Chronosynclastic
3. Infundibula
4. Love Chariot
5. Two; Twelve
6. Tomorrowtoday (Pt. 1)
7. Tomorrowtoday (Pt. 2)
8. Re-ignite
9. Awake in the Deep
10. I Am A Beautiful & Unique
11. Snowflake
12. Goodnight

MAX ROACH

MAX ROACH
MEMBERS, DON'T GIT WEARY. (1968)
320 KBPS

Drummer Max Roach's outspoken political commentary reached artistic zeniths throughout the 1960s--especially on Deeds, Not Words, It's Time, Lift Every Voice and Sing, and Members, Don't Git Weary. Originally released in 1968, Members shows Roach's insistent drumming in a pointed, taut display of group dynamics. Trumpeter Charles Tolliver and alto saxophonist Gary Bartz play with unflinching rawness, elevating the music's bluesiness even as they let the energy of the struggle for African-American civil rights drive the improvisations to new levels of expressive intensity and new depths of musical feeling. Pianist Stanley Cowell's contributions to the session include "Effi," a loping minor-key gem that elicits multiple towering solos from both the horn players, who weave in and out of Jymie Merritt's bass lines like yarn in an urgent tapestry.

1. Abstrutions
2. Libra
3. Effi
4. Equipoise
5. Members, Don't Git Weary
6. Absolutions

TIME IN MALTA

TIME IN MALTA
A SECOND ENGINE (2002)
320 KBPS

The writing of a great album is a balance of passionate intent and a uniquely inspired brilliance. Not since BSF's ATE has there been a melodic hardcore effort of such an undulating sonic experience as Time in Malta's debut full-length effort.
These bay area youths challenge the notion that only thrash metal rises out of the San Francisco fog by releasing an effort of epic proportion. Do not let their youthful presence fool you, these twelve songs are effortlessly crafted in mature song structures and harmonically memorable hooks that will haunt well beyond the depths of the tympanic membrane.
From the outright aggression of "This is our Voice," which opens the record, through the subtle disposition of thec loser "Grant's Stand," T.i.M. provide an aural attraction which
utilizes sedating hooks and powering riffs to paint a portrait of sonic excellence. The balance of beauty and barraging sound is as memorable as it comes and strides beyond the boundaries of stereo-typical commercial rock stagnation and heart-pounding hardcore aggression.
The melodic hardcore genre is probably the next great trend in alternative music styles, but T.i.M. are well ahead of the curve not just the for the underground's pulse on A Second Engine, they are light years before their time for the masses. It can not be stressed enough how well composed the songs are and how well executed the sound is.
The dynamics are well created without the contrived pretension associated with the commercial forum and the fluctuation between the gruff vocal passages and the comforting melodic movements is a smooth as a calm sea, yet stimulates the emotions like an oncoming tsunami.
So, if you are ready to turn the key on the second engine for your rock listening vehicle, than get in the seat of the machine known now as Time in Malta and prepare to fully understand the implied meaning of their name.

1. This Is Our Voice
2. All Said And Done
3. Read Your Mind
4. What We've Become
5. Dissolve
6. You Faded
7. This Revolution
8. Azure
9. Remedy Unknown
10. Against The Tide
11. Washed Out
12. Grant's Stand

CURSIVE

CURSIVE
SUCH BLINDING STARS FOR STARVING EYES (1997)
320 KBPS

After a handful of 7"s, the first full-length record from Omaha, NE's Cursive serves as a fitting precursor to the band's later body of work. Such Blinding Stars for Starving Eyes lays down the framework for the Cursive method: delicate guitars that erupt into frenzied explosions, a rhythm section that consistently keeps each track barreling forward, and the harrowing vocal contributions of Tim Kasher, whose powerful voice personifies the emotional turmoil that the record encapsulates. Unlike some of Cursive's later work, Such Blinding Stars for Starving Eyes does not rely on a singular concept to tell its story. Nonetheless, tracks like "Ceilings Crack" and the unyielding "Downhill Racers" tell tales all their own, though the topics do tend to concentrate on subjects like retribution and a sense of being overwhelmed. The latter track also features one of the record's most striking moments, during which Kasher's cacophonous screams are met by the harmonious background vocals of original guitarist Stephen Pederson in an exercise in contrasts that the band would continue to develop as time went on. At points stark and hollow but always building toward something more engaging and momentous, this record features the first hints of a great band ready to emerge, and shows that while they moved on to more complicated things, Cursive was originally run on nothing but raw power.

1. After the Movies
2. Downhill Racers
3. Ceilings Crack
4. Dirt of the Vineyard
5. Target Group
6. Eight Light Minutes
7. Vermont
8. Dedication to Desertion
9. Warped the Wood Floors
10. Retirement
11. Farewell Party

JOHN ZORN

JOHN ZORN
ALHAMBRA LOVE SONGS (2009)
320 KBPS

For a change, the descriptor insert included in a Tzadik release isn't all hype. Alhambra Love Songs does indeed contain "some of the most beautiful and soothing music Zorn has ever written." This 11-cut set is an eclectic homage of sorts to the San Francisco Bay area and the musicians who have and continue to make it their home. Written for a piano trio consisting of Rob Burger, bassist Greg Cohen (who alternates between upright and electric), and drummer Ben Perowsky, what's most important to remember when popping this into the deck is that these are indeed "songs." They all have direct melodic themes, lyric harmony, and follow a linear trajectory from one place to another. Zorn puts that in the listener's ears on the very first cut, "Mountain View," dedicated to Vince Guaraldi. It doesn't merely nod to the late pianist and composer of the Charlie Brown television themes, it evokes him directly, utilizing his sense of lithe, lyric theme and simple rhythmic sensibility in a hummable melody. It's delightful. "Pacifica," dedicated to mystic Harry Smith, is more elliptical and mysterious in presentation, but just as melodic and accessible. And that's the point. The Tzadik insert also namechecks Ramsey Lewis and Henry Mancini as well as the words "easy listening mode," but these influences aren't all that pronounced. But this doesn't fall into the category of one of Zorn's challenging series of recordings, either. It is simply a set of gorgeous songs with a variety of jazz, television, cinematic, and landscape themes written into their melodies, all dedicated to various musicians, composers, actors, poets, and other persona whom Zorn holds in high regard. Some may wonder initially if this fits in best with The Gift or Dreamers, and it sounds nothing like either recording. These tunes — be it the tender "Half Moon Bay" dedicated to poet and translator Lyn Hejinian, or "Moraga," scored for Clint Eastwood, which evokes both his cinematic work as an actor and his work as a composer, or the ever so brief and utterly lovely "Miramar," for Terry Riley, which envelope the listener in pulsing rhythmic repetition before whispering itself out on the individual notes of its chords — all have the same effect: one of complete listening pleasure. These small tunes will get inside your head and remain there, prompting you to listen to this set over and again. Each track is different from the last in theme, mood, and construction, but follows its thematic strategy almost to a fault. The band is fantastic. Burger's percussive touch on the keys is a plus. He never hits too hard, but he's a very rhythmic player. Add to this the brushwork of Perowsky and the always inventive, sensitive, and often subtle work of Cohen, and you have a unit that can swing when the tune calls for it, let a piece breathe, or playfully get inside it. Alhambra Love Songs is a gem, and will literally bring joy to anyone who gives it an honest listen.

Credits:
Rob Burger Piano
Greg Cohen Bass
Ben Perowsky Drums
John Zorn Arranger, Producer

1 Mountain View
2 Novato
3 Pacifica
4 Benicia
5 Half Moon Bay
6 Moraga
7 Tamalpais
8 Larkspur
9 Alhambra Blues
10 Miramar
11 Tiburon

ALAIN SOUCHON

ALAIN SOUCHON
C'EST DEJA CA (1993)
320 KBPS

You do not need to know French to enjoy Souchon's music. If you understand French, though, you will find his lyric sometimes touching, sometimes quirky but always well integrated with his snappy melodies. His "Foule sentimentale" is a critique of a society over concerned with consumerism; "Les regrets," the poignant review of life's lost opportunities; and "C'est déjà ça" an evocative tribute to his African roots (he was born in Casablanca, Morocco). These are my favorites, but the whole CD is superb.

1. Foule Sentimentale
2. L'Amour À la Machine
3. Sous Les Jupes des Filles
4. Regrets
5. Les Filles Électriques
6. Arlette Laguiller
7. Chanter C'est Lancer des Balles
8. Sans Queue Ni Tête
9. Le Fil
10. Zèbre
11. C'est Déjà Ça

R.E.M.

R.E.M.
GREEN (1988)
320 KBPS

Green catapulted R.E.M. from campus cult favorites to rock stars of the highest order. The album contains three of the Athens, Georgia, quartet's most popular radio hits ("Pop Song 89," "Stand," and "Orange Crush"), punching up the big rock hooks and letting the spooky independent production slip away. Some diehard fans cried "Sellout!" but that's a strange attitude given singer Michael Stipe's environmental activism. "I'm very scared of this world," he sings above jangling mandolins on "You Are the Everything." It's still unclear what he's trying to say, but at least we can understand the words this time.

1. Pop Song 89
2. Get Up
3. You Are the Everything
4. Stand
5. World Leader Pretend
6. Wrong Child
7. Orange Crush
8. Turn You Inside-Out
9. Hairshirt
10. I Remember California

MONSTER (1994)
320 KBPS

Monster is definitely a departure from R.E.M.'s formulaic sound but it's not necessarily a change for the worse either. Monster is, by far, R.E.M.'s loudest, sexiest and most aggressive album. "Strange Currencies", "Bang and Blame", and "I Don't Sleep I Dream" are my favourite songs on this album that is usually regarded as a poor delivery from the boys of Athens, something I disagree with.

1. What's The Frequency, Kenneth?
2. Crush With Eyeliner
3. King Of Comedy
4. I Don't Sleep, I Dream
5. Star 69
6. Strange Currencies
7. Tongue
8. Bang And Blame
9. I Took Your Name
10. Let Me In
11. Circus Envy
12. You